Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed accused the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) of being traitors intent on dismantling Ethiopia during a parliamentary address on February 3, as renewed tensions in Tigray raise fears of wider conflict, according to The Economist magazine's latest edition reported by Addis Standard on February 6 between 9:45 AM and 10:45 AM UTC. Tigray residents have faced repeated anxiety over the past year from cash shortages, empty shelves, soaring prices, and food hoarding, reviving memories of the 2020-2022 war, The Economist stated. A TPLF official cited by the magazine reported that the Ethiopian National Defense Force is mobilizing in full force, warning of catastrophic consequences without political restraint. Tensions escalated last week when TPLF-linked forces crossed the Tekeze River into Tselemti, which officials described as a protest over the treatment of returning civilians, according to The Economist. The African Union offered to mediate on January 30, but Ethiopia rejected the proposal privately, instructing the AU to avoid intervening in internal affairs, sources told the magazine. The report warns that the risk of renewed violence remains high amid these developments.
